Sarah Silverman mocks Santorum for ‘sexy’ abortion remark

The Daily Show host Sarah Silverman was not impressed with former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum’s choice of phrase as he commented on the news that Ohio had voted to enshrine abortion rights into the state constitution.

During her show on Wednesday, Ms Silverman played a clip of the former senator speaking on NewsMax following the results of the off-year elections.

“You put very sexy things like abortion and marijuana on the ballot and a lot of young people come out and vote,” the former GOP presidential candidate said.

Ms Silverman questioned Mr Santorum’s use of the word “sexy” to describe abortion.

“Sexy issues like abortion? What are his porn search words?” she asked.

The comedian then went on the cite an NBC News report that found GOP strategists are seeking a new means to rally support behind “pro-life” messaging after polling found the term “no longer resonated with voters”.

“They’re looking to rebrand it, but personally, I think they should be forced to carry this phrase to term,” Ms Silverman joked.

Later on in the show, she turned to The Daily Show correspondent Grace Kuhlenschmidt, who pitched the idea of “pro-lifers” being “totally honest” in their messaging.

“Their slogans can be just straight up ‘Your body, our choice’ or ‘Handmaid’s Tale, let’s try it?’” she joked.

At the ballot box this week, voters in Ohio chose overwhelmingly to enshrine the right to reproductive freedom into the state constitution.

State Republicans had tried to introduce a restrictive law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, but their attempts failed as Ohio voters rallied behind reproductive rights.

Ohio’s push to protect a woman’s right to choose was celebrated by President Joe Biden, who described measures by Republicans as “extreme and dangerous”.

“Tonight, Americans once again voted to protect their fundamental freedoms – and democracy won,” Mr Biden declared shortly after the ballot measure’s fate was called by the networks.

The victory was also immediately celebrated by the Women’s March, a women’s-led activist organisation that rose to prominence during Donald Trump’s presidency.

“Republicans in Ohio have tried to restrict those freedoms all along – doing everything in their power to override the will of their constituents and keep the fate of abortion within their own control. But Issue 1’s passage proves that abortion can’t lose when it’s put in front of the people,” said Women’s March executive director Rachel O’Leary Carmona.

Reproductive freedom is at risk yet again after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade last year, ending decades of settled precedent and throwing states across the country into political chaos.

Voters in Ohio also chose to legalise the recreational use of marijuana in the state in Tuesday’s elections.